Record state average corn and soybean yield predictions shocked the markets last week, but USDA isn’t the only one seeing promising crop conditions for this time of year.
Atmospheric Scientist Eric Snodgrass with Nutrien Ag Solutions told the RFD Radio Network a cooler and wetter July helped crops look good, at least on satellite imagery.
“We had the second-wettest July on record for Illinois, but it came in five events, so it was nice and spaced out and we only had a few stretches of days that actually got hot,” he said. “That is why I think the country is looking at Illinois and seeing a pretty amazing crop.”
FarmWeek CropWatcher Marshall Newhouse also was optimistic about crop potential in Boone County as of mid-August.
“I’d have to say everything around here looks about ideal,” he said. “The pastures are green and I don’t have any firing on the bottom of any corn.”
He said temperatures have been unusually cool for August.
“Aug. 10 was our coldest. When I got around to look at things about 5:30 a.m. it was 51 degrees,” Newhouse noted, adding he saw a lot of jackets and sweaters at the Boone County Fair.
Snodgrass said while the heat might return before the end of summer, it shouldn’t have a negative impact on crops at this point.
“If I were to tell you that maybe at the end of the month or beginning of September, it’s going to get 5 to 8 degrees above average, that doesn’t even come close to touching a normal high in early July,” Snodgrass said. “So, it’s not going to necessarily be a problem and what it might do is give this crop a nice little push at the very end and get it to finish well.”
Newhouse said the corn crop has been ahead of schedule all season long near the Wisconsin border, thanks to high temperatures in May and June.
“I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but I think this year is a little bit different than the last 12 to 15 years,” he said. “Looking at corn right now, I’ve got husks that are pulling back, denting that’s starting to occur and I’m at least two weeks ahead of normal on my corn.”
Newhouse said he hopes that translates to a lighter gas bill for drying this fall, and right now that looks promising, but Snodgrass said there is one wild card.
“We still have 80 more days of hurricane season to go, and this is the type of season where the Gulf of Mexico could send a big, late-season push of moisture up in September or even early October and that would be problematic at this point.”
Newhouse said the moisture picture is much different from a year ago.
“We’ve averaged at least an inch to an inch and a half a week for darn near two months now,” he said, adding that his crops so far avoided most of the disease and insect pressure he expected to see during a wet year.
“There’s still a little bit of time left for me to worry about that and scout, but right now I’ll take what I’ve got and not complain too much,” Newhouse said.
USDA reported as of Aug. 11, 69% of corn in Illinois had reached the dough stage with 18% dented. The crop is considered 77% good to excellent. As of the same date, 84% of soybeans were setting pods with 72% of the crop rated good to excellent.
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This story was distributed through a cooperative project between the Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.